Improvement in speed and current indicators



2 Sheets-Sheetl. D. IFFLAND.l

SPEED AND CURRENT I1N'IDIC.A.T0B..V

Patented Aprlz, 1877.

No. 19o,o45.

N. P'ER& PHOTO-I IHOGRAFHER. WASHINGTON. D. C.

ZSheets-*Sheet 2,.

D. IFFLNID.y y SPEED AND CURRENT INDICATOR. No. 190,045, Patented Apr'1124,1877.

HIIIIIIU lllHHHlll N,PETF.RS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAFHER, WASHINGTCH, D C,

U rrp:

DANIEL IFFLAND, OF. HAMBURG, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO ERNST HADENFELD, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN SPEED AND CURRENT INDICATORS.

Specification forming partof Letters Patent No. 190,045, dated April 24, 1877; application tiled January 1.6, 1877.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, DANIEL IFFLAND, of the city of Hamburg, in the Empire of Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Side Current D'etecter and Speed-Indicator for Vessels, of which the following is a specication:

The primary object of my invention consists in an apparatus for ascertaining, when onhigh sea, the presence of contrary currents acting upon the longitudinal axis or side of a vessel, at right angles to its line of motion, the power exerted by said currents, and the consequent sideward deviation or drift of the vessel.

The invention further consists in constructing the apparatus in such a manner as to adapt it as a speed-indicator at the same time.

The course of vessels-that is to say, the direction in which they are running to reach a predetermined pointis ascertained and regulated by comparing the position of its longitudinal axis with that of the magnetic needle of a compass. These means are sufcient as long as only such forces are exerting their power upon the vessel as will propel it forward in a line with that of its longitudinal axis, as, for example, the screw-propeller or side wheels of Steamers; but, as isoften the case on high sea, where contrary currents exert their power diametrically opposite or at right angles to the power exerted upon its longitudinal axis, which, although induencing the course of the vessel considerably, and are not perceptible upon the surface of the water, do, however, not ai'ect the position of its longitudinal axis relatively to that of the magnetic needle, or, in other words, the position of the longitudinal axis relatively to that of the magnetic needle in the forward course of the vessel is not changed when under the action of its propelling-power, although drifting sideward out of its course under the impulse of these contrary currents.

No means are at hand to ascertain the existence of these currents, and the consequent drift of the vessel, to enable the mariner to regulate its course accordingly.

To ascertain the presence ot' these-currents, and their power exerted upon the vessel, is the primary object of my invention, while at the same time, by a peculiar arrangement of the apparatus, as hereinafter described, the speed of the vessel may also be ascertained.

But that my invention may be fully understood, I will proceed to describe the same by aid of the'accompanying two sheets of drawings, in which- Figures 1 and 2 are longitudinal and transverse sections of a vessel, showing the general arrangementof the apparatus, and Figs. 3 and 4 are, respectively, a vertical elevation and transverse section of the same, and Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views.

The apparatus consists, essentially, of' a tube or a series of tubes, traversing vertically through the vessel and projecting below the keel thereof, and carrying at that point a iixed rudder or wing, and at its upper extremity.a horizontal fixed index, traveling over a suitably-graduated scale, the tubes, or the series of connected tubes, being so arranged as to rotate under the action of the rudder or wing when the latter is affected by any side current, the indicator or pointer indicating upon the scale the extent of the deviation of the rudder and the consequent drift of the vessel.

A represents a hollow tube or pipe, or a series of such, connected together by means of screw-couplings a, which are prevented from turning or unscrewing by the wedges al. The pipe or tube A, where it passes through the deck or decks of a vessel, is held up or prevented from sinking through by means of the sleeves B, bolted or otherwise secured to the flooring, and which fit the tube or pipe A loosely. The upper surface of these sleeves are provided with an annular groove, b, in which tits a corresponding projection, c, on the under surface of the boss C, which latter is held on tube A by set-screws c.

Instead of the projection c on the boss C, the under surface of the latter may also be shaft f in the frame f1.

grooved, and anti-friction ,balls placed between the two, or the surfaces of the sleeve and boss may have vertical projections to proper ,position during the forward movement of the vessel, and so long as said rudder or wing I is not actuated by contrary currents, as will be readily understood.

At the bottom of the vessel the pipe passes through a stuflingbox, D, consisting` of an outer sleeve, d, which forms an annular chamber or recess, dl, around the pipe, and a seat for a suitable packer, and for the reception of the sleeve d2, which lits loosely around the pipe A, the packing being inserted -between the two sleeves. The outer sleeve is bolted to the bottom of the vessel, and the inner sleeve held thereon by set-screws d3, as shown by Fig. 5. v

The pipe A is screw-threaded at a3 to fit a corresponding thread within the hub of a pinion E, the under face of which is provided with an annular projection, e, fitting in the groove b of the supporting-sleeve B, or it may be supported upon the sleeve B by anti-friction balls, or antifriction rollers, as above described.

This pinion gears with another pinion, F, mounted upon a shaft, f, in a suitable frame, f1, saidA shaft carrying a gear-wheel, G, meshing with a pinion, H, on shaft l1., located above The shaft h carries at its outer extremity a crank, h1. This meehanism is employed to raise and lower the pipe A, to shelter the rudder I when the vessel enters shallow Water, by raising it under the bottom of the vessel, by the side of the keel, and to lower the same again when entering deep water.

The upper end of the pipe A may also be provided with a worm-thread meshing with a pinion the shaft of which is provided with a hand-wheel, whereby the pipe may be raised or lowered, the shaft carrying the hand-wheel being made to slide in its bearings, or by other suitable means, to throw the pinion in and out of gear, and a suitable stop may be provided to hold the hand-wheel and prevent it from revolving when the pipe A has been raised up, or any other suitable mechanism may be employed to effect this purpose, though I prefer the mechanism above described.

remesa sequent obstruction against the rotation of the pipe A, I mount the shaft j so as to slide in its bearings. Said shaft f carries a handwheel, f2, at its outer extremity, and a spring, g, affixed to the sleeve of the hand-wheel, and entering the recess formed by the hand-wheel, and the bearing g serves to hold the pinion F out of gear with the pinion E, or a latch or clutch may be employed for this purpose.

The pipe A, which projects some distance above the deck, carries at its upper extremity an index or pointer, K, mounted thereon paral-lel with the rudder VVor wing I, said pointer traveling or rotating with the pipe A over a Ysuitably-graduated scale, to indicate any deflection of the rudder or wing I by side currents, the amount or extent of the deflection, and the consequent drift of the vessel.

To ascertain the speed of the vessel I employ a loat, L, attached or rigidly connected freely within the pipe, under the impulse of the Water rising within the pipe A, the normal position of the float being at a point with that of the level of the water when the vessel is at rest. l

It' is well known that the faster a current of water is made to pass upon a vertical tube bent at right angles, or nearly so, and open at both ends, the higher the water will rise within. Hence, the greater the speed of a vessel the higher will the water rise within the pipe `A, carrying with it the float and its connecting-rod, which latter carries at its upper end a forked index, M, traveling over a suitably-graduated vertical scale, m. I form the pointer M in the shape of a fork to embrace the scale m, and by this means prevent the pointer, rod, and lioat from turning or rotating with the pipe A.

Havlng now described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A combinedl side current detecter and speed-indicator for vessels, consisting of a hollow or tubular connection, open at both ends, betweenan index traveling over a suitably-graduated horizontal scale on one of the decks of the vessel, and a rudder or wing below the keel of said vessel, the hollow connection being adapted to rotate under the action of the rudder, and a rigid connection between a float within said tubular connection and an index traveling over a suitably-graduated vertical scale, all combined, constructed, and arranged to operate substantially as described.

2. The sleeve B and bosses C, having annular groove b and annular projection o, or their equivalents, the set-screws c', and the pipe A, all combined, constructed, and operating substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

To avoid too great a friction, and the conto a rod, l. both being adapted to rise and fall umu in combination with the. grooved sleeve B and the threaded pipe A, all constructed and operating substantially as and for the purposes specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of-tWo subscribing Witnesses.

DANIEL IFFLAN D.

Witnesses HUGO SIMON, GUIDO SOBMIDT. 

